Help with air layering

[SuperBadGrower]

They're really awesome for it! If they're close to your light they'll dry out double-time, so you gotta keep an eye on them if you don't plan to wrap something around it. I cut them open and put some rooting hormone on the inside from top to bottom before tying it around the stem. Obviously the branch needs to be able to carry some weight to support a full root sponge, but you could cut it in half and achieve the same result.

 

[Drop That Sound]

SBG: nice man way to save some work, I should have tried one without girdling the stem but never thought too. I will compare with and without the bark next time I do some air layering.

Ya they do dry out fast, I liked using 3 rapid root (I think mine were root riots?) plugs because I didn't have to inject them so often. Rockwool seemed to dry out even faster.

I have a medical IV bag with a manifold and extra tubes ready to go when I do another batch in the future, along with a bunch of industrial syringe tips to poke into the wraps. That way they continually self water themselves via gravity feed.

 

[madalasatori]

How often do they require watering? If wrapped in plastic could I leave a rapid footer for 4 or 5 days between waterings? I guess they don’t dry out quickly of wrapped in plastic..0

 

[SuperBadGrower]

Depends on the light I guess. If the wrapped plug is hanging in the heat of an HID light or the air path of ventilation I would still pay close attention to it. That said the rooters I keep in a closed dome stay wet for days. Wrapping them should help last a few days for sure. You'll usually be doing this near the bottom or middle of the plant anyway.

 

[RoyalFlush]

Don't know why this is complicated for some,
1.) Scratch/peel stem and clean it.
2.) Add rooting hormone ( Rooting powder works best ).
3.) Wrap on damp Rockwool or preffered medium.
4.) Wrap with ALUMINUM FOIL to protect from heat.

This is how Plant Nurseries in Florida air layer out doors

 

[madalasatori]

Thanks mate, I will post my results in a few weeks time

 

[Drop That Sound]

Including all the other factors mentioned above, the size of the clone to be taken makes a big difference in how fast they dry out too. I remember them drying out everyday on the biggest ones, and by big I mean like 3ft tall bushy branches with fat stems. I would only use single root plugs or small rockwool cubes on small clones. For big ones I'd go with a lot more medium\plugs.

There really isn't much too it, as also stated. Even if some of them dry out it doesn't really set you back that much, unlike taking traditional cuttings that probably wouldn't recover.

 

[SuperBadGrower]

What's up air layerers, this plant has been notoriously difficult and slow to clone. Here is the result of air layering versus regular cloning. At the time of the picture, the air layer had just been moved into the pot. This time I used a baggie, because RH was lower and it's a really slow rooter. Also it's just a pain to have to spray the unbagged sponges once or twice per day. Anyway, I invite you to check out the benefits of propagating a plant that keeps growing while you clone it. I pruned a lot of material before planting it. You can choose to keep it. I would advise to remove big fan leaves because they require a lot of water. You can stick the clones in the medium without a need for a humidity dome, as long as you have a decent roots to shoots ratio.




The one on the left was air layered.
If you are curious about the method, I'll repeat it. Just tie the root plug around the stem and wait. You don't need to cut the "bark" or something. I use powdered NAA because I have a lifetime supply of it, but you don't need it.

Well, it's certainly not worth it with every plant. I wasn't able to get roots below 15 days with this plant, no matter what I tried. After so long in the humidity dome there are some problems. This plant appears to get used to the very high RH, and becomes very weak once in low RH, even with plenty of roots... I've never seen it before. The other plants I move from high to low RH don't care that much. With this one, some of the clones just die when introduced to the "drought" (55% RH). if you have some problems cloning, try air layering, and a teaspoon of patience. Even the regular clones that rooted a week earlier than the air layers are smaller!

(Obviously if your plant is problem free or roots in 5-10 days, this is pointless, apart from the obvious practical benefits of not needing a clone dome and guaranteed success)

 

[SuperBadGrower]

The clone on the left was taken before I decided to air layer (pictured on the right)!




After rooting, the normal clones get rotten leaves and look screwed up. I remove the bad parts. Then they recover and become a normal plant. It takes quite some time.

 

[DeathHouse]

I love this technique. Can really help when you are in a jam. Great to see this used successfully.

 

[Drop That Sound]

Looking good guys, I love the technique too. In fact, I really want to do another batch soon as I can, and run plenty of experiments.



Lots of things to knock of my future air layering to do list including:




-Build some custom re-usable snap on hydroponic AL'ing pods, in different sizes/configs that can seal around the branch. May even use a little silicone or hot glue temporarily if needed. Then try using aero misters, dwc, or even fog as the medium instead of coco/RW/etc. With a dedicated res hooked to all of them. Some type of capsule that fits around a slotted net cup( that clips back together around the branch as well), so its ready to go into a hydro system ASAP. No mess or plastic/foil garbage to deal with.

Also another set that can gravity drip feed into soiless mediums from the IV bag hanging over head. I would think A hydro Air layered clone would root faster, especially if the water temps were dialed in..



-Grafting and AL'ing at the same time, and different combinations of the 2 methods together. Possibly "air grafting" 2 different plants by joining them, without taking any cuttings from either, and using one or both lower branches as the root stock (with an air layer below the graft joint of course). Or adding a new graft to mom for every air layer taken, etc... Or just going mad and creating 5+ strain AL'd clones if possible, and speeding up the whole process by grafting and rooting all at the same time. Lots of idea's here.

 

[SuperBadGrower]

Also another set that can gravity drip feed into soiless mediums from the IV bag hanging over head. I would think A hydro Air layered clone would root faster, especially if the water temps were dialed in..

Great idea!

I'm sure this is possible too!

I tried cloning like this, but gave up on them.